Larry Davidson

Davidson, a native of Tennessee and graduate of Hixson High School, arrived in Calhoun County in the fall of 1972 to attend Jacksonville State University. He received his undergraduate degree from Jacksonville State in 1976 and began a career of more than forty years as an educator in the 1976-77 school year at Wellborn High School. At Wellborn, he was an assistant coach in football and basketball.  

After three years at Wellborn, Davidson became the head boys’ varsity basketball coach at Oxford High School in the fall of 1980, shortly after his 26th birthday. He inherited a program that was 31-3 four years prior to his arrival, but just 38-49 over the next three seasons. He remained as head coach for 26 seasons from 1980-81 through 2005-06. During that time, his teams won six Calhoun County tournament championships.

The first county tournament title came in Davidson’s first year at Oxford, a two-point overtime victory in the 1981 tournament. Two years later, the Yellow Jackets were county champions again. Oxford won back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990. In 1997 and 1998, the Yellow Jackets were back-to-back winners again. 

Davidson’s teams won six area tournament titles, appeared in the playoffs 18 times, reached five regional tournaments, and won 20 or more games seven times. His career record was 415-256. 

In addition to his basketball responsibilities, Davidson coached defensive backs and receivers for Oxford football teams that won AHSAA state football titles in 1988, 1989, and 1993. He also served as Oxford’s tennis coach for more than 20 years. 

Davidson stepped down as head basketball coach at Oxford following the 2005-06 season to become head of athletic operations then athletic director. He still serves in that capacity. During his tenure as athletic director at Oxford, Davidson has served on the AHSAA Legislative Council in working with the Central Board of Control.    

In 2013, Davidson was inducted into the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame. 

In December 2016, the basketball court at the Oxford High School Sports Arena was named in Davidson’s honor.